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Constitutional fight over Chavez status intensifies

A constitutional fight over ailing President Hugo Chavez’s status
intensified Tuesday with the government planning a massive show of
support in the streets on the day he is supposed to be sworn in to a new
term. Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said late Monday that
Chavez’s medical condition has remained “stationary” since the latest
complication from surgery was reported four days ago. Chavez, who
underwent his fourth round of cancer surgery in Havana nearly a month
ago, is suffering from a severe pulmonary infection that has resulted in
a respiratory insufficiency.The call for a rally January 10 outside
the Miraflores presidential palace comes amid a stormy debate over
whether Chavez and his current government can remain in office if he is
too sick to take the oath of office.The Catholic church waded into
the controversy for the first time Monday, with a warning that it would
be “morally unacceptable” to override the constitution and that Chavez’s
prolonged absence had put the country’s stability at risk.But the
leftist government and the conservative opposition brandished
conflicting interpretations of the constitution, with Chavez’s alliescalling the president’s swearing-in a “formality” that can be fulfilled sometime after January 10.“We
rule out absolutely nothing,” said National Assembly speaker Diosdado
Cabello, when asked at a news conference if Chavez’s return in time for
the inauguration had been ruled out.“But we’re not going to get to the 10th and not know what we are going to do. We know what we’re going to do,” he said.Part
of the plan is to hold a huge pro-Chavez rally, with the participation
of as yet unidentified foreign leaders, in a reminder of the 55 percent
support that won the leftist firebrand re-election to another six-year
term October 7.“All of Venezuela will come here in front of the
Miraflores presidential palace, the people supporting our president—the
people supporting comandante Chavez—in an overwhelming manner, the
people in the street,” said National Assembly speaker Diosdado Cabello.